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‘Plume’ rounds up a colorful cast for a western tale out of this world

‘Plume’ rounds up a colorful cast for a western tale out of this world

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Plume
Written and illustrated by K. Lynn Smith
2013-present
Ongoing

Load ’em up and prepare to move out partner.  Plume is your typical revenge fueled western that takes place in an alternate reality filled with ancient magic.

Vesper Grey, the leading lady and main protagonist, is a young woman who thought her life would be forever confined to teacups and girdles until one fateful day, a gust of wind changed everything. You see her father, Magnus, is an archaeologist who travels around the world in search of ordinary objects with extraordinary capabilities. Vesper’s mother passed away several years before, and since Magnus’ line of duty is far from safe, Vesper grew up in the presence of her Aunt Agatha Murdock, a God fearing woman who constantly reminds Vesper about her lack of lady like qualities. Needless to say, Vesper jumps at the chance for adventure without a second thought.

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Vesper is my kinda gal because she is far from perfect and is bound to make mistakes. She walks a fine line between justice and vengeance, and that’s what makes her real. Spurred on by the murder of her father, Vesper is determined to get her revenge and make sure that the items her father discovered don’t fall into the wrong hands. Sure, she’s got a bit of a temper, and she can go a little overboard when retrieving an artifact, but her heart is always in the right place. Vesper is no stranger to gunfire and has no problem taking a life when she needs to. She is always part of the action working with her allies and is never seen hiding in the corner when a fight breaks out. Vesper’s twisted sense of humor and occasionally combative relationship with Corrick contribute to her likeability.

Corrick, a former prince bound to the Amulet of Auru 600 years ago, is our secondary protagonist. Although Corrick was bound to serve the individual who wears the amulet, he isn’t  a mindless tool. He has a distinct personality of his own. Corrick is perceptive He isn’t above showing off some of his powers to get his point across. Corrick also does a pretty good job at keeping Vesper in check.

Tegan, a practical prostitute who knows that the west can’t be won in a dress and that strategy is always welcomed but stupidity is not, happily supplies our two heroes with back-up. She also feeds Vesper’s comedic side. Poor Corrick. Six centuries hasn’t prepared him for the situations these two women drag him into.

Plume 112Rounding up the main cast is Dominick, Magnus’ former partner and…murderer. Dominick’s motive runs parallel to Vesper’s in a sense, revenge for the death of his family. One thing you can count on in the west no matter what universe is an endless cycle of revenge. With a race to collect artifacts, only time will tell if this cycle will end.

K. Lynn Smith’s use of a double outline, the first, a standard black, and the second, a thin white, adds an element of mystique. Characters appear to be glowing in their surrounding as if to emphasize the fact that this Wild West is a unique creation. It isn’t a historical fiction of any sort, but vision of the West where magic is an integral part of the world. Unlike most comics where speech bubbles remain static and the typeface does all the work, Smith’s speech bubbles change their shape during heated moments, boosting the tense mood between characters.

Plume is available online and, thanks to a successful Kickstarter, in print.

 

 

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